Becoming an experienced vaper is a process rather than an overnight event. Despite how simplistic or sophisticated your vaporizer may be, there will always be some learning curve to follow.
One way to become adept at vaping is to familiarize yourself with all the vaporizer parts’ basic structure and functionality. That includes understanding the recommended material for each component and how to derive the most from it during your routine vaping sessions.
A vape battery is the most functional part of any vaporizer. Your vape pen is pretty much useless without it.
But even a quality vape pen battery can pose severe hazards if improperly handled. In this article, we look at the term “vape pen voltage” and why it matters while charging your vaporizer.
What Is Vape Pen Voltage?
Vape pen voltage refers to the voltage of your vape pen’s battery. So, perhaps the more relevant question should be – what is a battery voltage?
Now, the term “battery voltage” denotes the electrical potential (EP) difference between the battery’s positive and negative terminals.
Electrical potential is the charge difference between two points. In the case of batteries, the difference is measured in the two poles (positive and negative), thus constituting the voltage.
A large potential difference translates to a more significant battery voltage, while a smaller EP difference results in a lower voltage.
Voltage is one of the primary factors that affect your vaping experience. Therefore, it’s essential to establish your best vape pen voltage if you wish to get the most out of your vaporizer.
Three main aspects influence the voltage in your vape pen’s battery. They include the chemical reactions in the battery, the concentrations of the battery’s various components, and its polarization.
How Does Voltage Affect Vape Pen Battery’s Charging?
The voltage rating of most vape pen batteries ranges from 2.0 to 4.8 volts. Like any electronic device, charging your vape pen with the wrong charger can have devastating consequences.
Most vape pens will ignore chargers with too low voltage. For instance, a pen whose battery’s voltage rating is 4.0 will remain unresponsive if you’re trying to charge it with a 2.0-volts charger.
And while very low-voltage chargers may sound harmless, they present certain inherent risks. The mere fact that these chargers must remain connected to the electricity for much longer could cause them to overheat and even blow up.
But perhaps it’s too high voltage chargers that you should be more concerned about. Attempting to charge a 2.0-voltage vape pen with a 4.0-v charger is the surest way to fry the device.
Note that many vape pens do not have smart charge control features, as with other electrical gadgets. That means the device may not be intelligent enough to shut down and avoid possible damage due to excessive voltage. Depending on the difference between your vape pen’s ideal voltage and the current charging voltage, you could be looking at serious explosions.
Indeed, reports of vape pen battery explosions have become all too common. Most of these incidents cause severe bodily injury, while others lead to fatalities. And while improper vaporizer storage is responsible for most of the cases, a decent percentage is also attributable to wrong battery charging.
The conventional wisdom is to always charge your vape pen using the charger that the device came with. If the charger is broken or misplaced, be sure to find an exact replacement. If in doubt, contact the vape pen’s manufacturer for charger specifications before hitting the vape stores.
It’s important to point out that voltage rating isn’t the only factor to bear in mind while choosing the right charger for your vape pen. You should also consider the battery’s type, size, maximum charging current, and capacity in amperes.
How to Charge Your Vape Pen Battery
Charging your vape pen is incredibly easy, provided you use the correct charger. The process typically unfolds as follows;
- Detach the battery from your vape pen.
Note that some vape pens can be charged with their batteries intact.
- Attach the battery to its charger.
- Plug the charger into the wall electrical outlet or a USB port.
Tips for Proper Vape Pen Battery Charging
We’ve already emphasized the importance of charging your vape pen with a charger that’s perfectly matched for its voltage rating. However, there are many other things to keep in mind while charging your vape pen’s battery.
First, do not overcharge or undercharge the battery.
Letting the battery remain connected to electricity for much longer could cause it to overheat and explode. This is especially true for vape pens designed without protective measures to guard against overcharging, such as an indicator light.
The biggest issue with undercharging a vape pen is that it translates to more frequent charging. Plugging in the battery more often might present similar electrical problems as overcharging. Not to mention the risks of damaging the charging port.
However, some seasoned vapers warn against completely recharging your vaporizer each time you need to charge it. They instead recommend not letting the device’s battery drop below 10% and not charging it past 90%. The argument is that this trick might help prolong your vape battery’s life. Well, these claims have not been scientifically proven. But they’re probably precautionary measures against letting your vape pen’s battery die or overcharging it.
Final Word
Understanding your vape pen’s voltage rating is key to charging it correctly. Feel free to use this article as a guide for charging your vaporizer battery correctly.
